NSD top 25 blurbs for the few who still like that kind of thing.
https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10108409-national-signing-day-2024-ranking-top-25-recruiting-classes-after-nsd
moneybags are obviously better than going to college to get edumacated but I am aghast we are 15th after 3 years of playoff appearances culminating in the NC.
February 8th, 2024 at 1:01 PM ^
Yeah, this does not position Moore well. I believe individually stars don’t matter a lot, but team rankings sure do seem to be a strong predictor.
February 8th, 2024 at 1:13 PM ^
With all of the player movement it’s really difficult to put too much stock in these rankings anymore
February 8th, 2024 at 1:52 PM ^
I tend to agree, though given Michigan’s transfer issues one could say it counts a bit more for Michigan.
February 8th, 2024 at 2:11 PM ^
Might be. But the other way to look at it is that other schools who may rank well on signing day will lose more of their top talent than we might. Case in point: while I didn’t actually read the article, I’ll assume that both Air Noland and Julian Sayin are factored into OSU’s class. We know that one of these guys will likely never play for them and possibly both won’t. However, they might bring in another player that you can’t factor into these rankings. My point is simply that with all the player movement this is just a total crapshoot at this time
February 8th, 2024 at 3:58 PM ^
But if you are Michigan and you don’t start with those top guys and you can’t bring them in that often (short of a coaching change at Stanford), that does bode well. I also would say the portal is great for filling a gap or two, but that is about it. The true top talent is not moving that often, except maybe at QB.
February 8th, 2024 at 1:43 PM ^
Personally I think the recruiting services have gotten lazy in ranking kids, much like the NFL talking heads have about draft rankings.
The kids after about the top 25-30 that are four stars are mostly all ranked by early junior class rankings and seem to be jockeyed around simply by stats and physical measurables that can and will change in their first couple seasons in college.
Michigan gathered in (on ESPN rankings) 10 top-300 guys, which puts them in line with the back half of the top ten in recruiting (from 9-11 guys), and 13 total four stars. Several of the 3-star kids just missed out on 4-star rankings. It’s a very solid, if not overwhelming, class that is closer to a top ten class than it looks like considering the laziness of the services in ranking the mid to low four star kids.
My prediction is that the class will end up much better in comparison to others in a couple of years, though it still won’t quite compete or compare to the usual suspects (OSU, Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Texas, etc.)
February 8th, 2024 at 1:54 PM ^
I would not call them lazy. They cut the vast majority of their staffs, so I am sure that those that are left are working quite hard to keep up. Add to that the transfer portal classes that they also have to track and you have a very overworked group.
February 8th, 2024 at 3:13 PM ^
This is exactly right.
After the top five or six teams, the next 10-15 are only separated by the presence of one 5* player or a slight difference in the ranking of their 4* players.
If Michigan had one 5* player in its class, it would be ranked #6 or so.
February 8th, 2024 at 2:18 PM ^
I really miss the real NSD. It was like Xmas morning to see what you got.
And the build up to it extended the season past the bowl games / playoff.
February 8th, 2024 at 2:25 PM ^
We are lamenting our position, but Washington really has something to lament. A National Championship appearance and not even in the Top 25 for recruiting.
February 8th, 2024 at 2:33 PM ^
Well, we have a lot of "disreputable" coaches defying gravity. Some recruits may be hesitant and others just may be car shopping. I like the mix coming in and hope the new strength coach has some Herbert in him.
February 8th, 2024 at 5:49 PM ^
Focus on the kids that want to play here, that want to win titles. We'll be fine.
February 9th, 2024 at 11:53 AM ^
Whew thanks. I feel much better now.
February 8th, 2024 at 6:57 PM ^
Regardless of stars, this years NFL draft will prove Michigan to have had one of if not the most talented teams in the country. That is a testament to our player evaluation and player development.
It’s still a higher bar when you don’t pull a few top 50 can’t miss superstar type players to be difference makers.
Imagine adding Dallas Turner, Marvin Harrison, and Amarous Mims added to the Wolverines roster this year.
.
February 8th, 2024 at 7:45 PM ^